‘Salagubang Pestebal’: Alternative to pest control

Tuy, Batangas — In this simple town, farmers don’t rid their farm of pests by using insecticides. They fight the menace by simply eating them.

Rebusadong salagubang, anyone?

The farming community in the western part of Batangas has discovered a unique, economical and effective way of solving the problem of pests that wreak havoc on sugarcane plantations.

Damage to crops brought about by June beetles (popularly known here as salagubang) in this sugarland town has risen to around P97 million every year. In the neighboring towns of Balayan and Calaca, also in the same district, about P66 million worth of crops are lost each year to salagubang.

Salagubang infestation in Calaca, Balayan and Tuy have reached an alarming stage; around 70 percent of their crops have been infested. The white grubs (larvae of June beetle) gnaw the roots of sugarcane while the beetles eat up the leaves and stems.

Controlling these beetles with insecticides was proven futile since they grow immune to the substance over time.

Tuy Mayor Edgardo Calingasan, a sugarcane planter himself, admitted that the "Salagubang Pestebal" (June beetle festival) has given them new hope in elevating the fast rescinding sugar industry in this province.

"In 2001, the sugar industry here is almost dead until we (farmers) joined hands with the milling districts and came up with Operation Salagubang where we collect June beetles from our farms and burn it in an open field," Calingasan said.

They were able to gather two tons of salagubang. Since then, he said they have been doing the salagubang collection yearly, which they name as Ug-og. Then the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), an NGO which promotes agricultural productivity and environment-friendly farm practices, taught the townsfolk that salagubang can be turned into a delicacy.

PBSP invited cooks from Baguio, Pangasinan and Tarlac to render a cooking demonstration to Batangas farmers.

At present, the local governments of western Batangas, consisting of 12 municipalities, and the PBSP are one in organizing the ‘Salagubang Pestebal" which started in June last year.

The two-day festivity kicks off every second week of June, with a mass collection of salagubang in every barangay in western Batangas.

The objective is to collect the most number of salagubang in each barangay in exchange for a cash prize. This reduces the beetle population and controls the infestation of the white grubs in the farmers’ sugarcane.

In this year’s celebration, which was held last June 16 to 17, the festivities started with a parade and contest of salagubang mascots. The primary criteria for judging was the use of indigenous materials in depicting the June beetle.

The most exciting part part of the day was the Food Festival Salagubang Dish Contest (Langhap Sarap cooking contest). Five dishes competed and Rebusadong Salagubang was declared winner. Runner ups were Salagubang na Inadobo sa Gata (Bicol express style), Pocherong Salagubang, Tortang Salagubang and Crispy Salagubang.

A Salagubang Lasap-Sarap Eating Contest followed where dishes prepared in the Salagubang Dish Contest were served.

The whole day celebration was capped with the local version of the television show "Fear Factor: Patibayan ng Dibdib at Patatagan ng Sikmura," which include eating live salagubang.

The festival was spiced up by the crowd favorites: Salagubang wrestling, Salagubang race and That’s my Salagubang, where contestants dressed-up their salagubang in style.

This year’s festival has gathered at least a thousand spectators and participants from all over the region.

The Department of Tourism, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agrarian Reform and the Department of Agriculture have agreed to adopt the yearly festival.

Nichee Alejo, communication officer of the PBSP, said they are expecting the continued support of the local as well as national and private organizations in this project for agricultural development.

"The celebrated community spirit which enables the cooperatives and agrarian reform beneficiaries to work towards a most urgent task, puts this advocacy of western Batangas on the map," Alejo said in a statement.